Having replaced one cold war for another cold through hot war, leaves no room for vigilantism or unauthorized actions in this new world era.
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I am sure that the young college student suffered allusions of grandeur and perhaps the hope of reward for his actions, in demonstrating weakness in the security of air travel. It is also apparent that he is in deep doo doo, despite the fact The Transportation Security Administrator did not consider the student to to be a threat to airline security.

Here is the statement of the TSA, followed by an article of 10/20/2003:

From the website of the TSA
Quote:
Statement by Adm. James M. Loy, Transportation Security Administrator Regarding the Discovery of Items Aboard Southwest Airlines Flights

October 17, 2003
Contact: TSA Public Affairs
571 227 2829

"Following the discovery of box cutters and other items on two Southwest Airline flights last night, the Transportation Security Administration and the Federal Bureau of Investigation immediately initiated an investigation and took actions to address security concerns.

Federal Air Marshals were immediately notified and took appropriate steps to ensure the safety and security of passengers on flights with Marshals aboard. In addition, when the items were found last night, TSA quickly began a database search and linked the situations to an e-mail received by TSA's Contact Center last month. In less than 24 hours, TSA and the FBI were able to locate and interview an individual believed to be responsible for the items found on the planes. TSA and the FBI have had this individual's activities under investigation for several months. Based on the investigation conducted thus far, this individual does not appear to pose any further threat to airline security."

Quote:

U.S. National - AP

Man to Face Charges in Box Cutter Case
1 hour, 27 minutes ago.

By FOSTER KLUG, Associated Press Writer

BALTIMORE - A college student who the FBI (news - web sites) believes hid box cutters and other banned items aboard two airplanes will face federal charges, a law enforcement source said Monday.

The charges against Nathaniel Heatwole, a 20-year-old junior at Guilford College in Greensboro, N.C., will likely deal with carrying prohibited items aboard a plane, said the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Heatwole was expected to have an initial court appearance at 3 p.m. Monday in U.S. District Court, the source said. A criminal complaint had not yet been filed Monday morning in the court clerk's office.

At an initial court appearance, a judge typically explains the charges against a defendant, asks if the defendant needs an attorney and considers whether the person should be detained.

An FBI spokesman and a spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney's office declined Monday to comment on the case.

On Thursday night, Southwest Airlines maintenance workers found small plastic bags containing box cutters, bleach, matches and modeling clay in lavatory compartments on planes in New Orleans and Houston.

Notes in the bags "indicated the items were intended to challenge Transportation Security Administration checkpoint security procedures," according to a statement from Southwest Airlines.

A Bush administration official has said the suspected perpetrator last month sent the government an e-mail warning of his intention to conceal suspicious items on six planes and provided dates and locations for the plan.

The suspect was identified through a database search that linked the bags found on the planes to the e-mail, the Transportation Security Administration said.

The discovery triggered stepped-up inspections of the entire U.S. commercial air fleet — roughly 7,000 planes. But after consulting with the FBI, the TSA rescinded the inspection order.

No other such suspicious bags were found in the inspection.

The modeling clay found aboard the Southwest planes was made to look like an explosive, while the bleach could have been used to demonstrate how a corrosive or dangerous liquid could be smuggled aboard a plane.

End of quote.

The message sent out by the TSA and the FBI is very clear, and to me to be a classical response, to persons who might be deluded into believing that unauthorized actions by citizens who ignore the laws and regulations will receive a sentence as opposed to a medal.

But who knows in this crazy world, maybe they will hire this kid as a security expert!.

Most of us, in our pursuit of our martial arts, do a little day dreaming and create scenarios of successful or heroic use of what we learn to save that damsel in distress or whatever the thought patterns are for that day even though those of us who have been in real street or other encounters realize that we are delusional.

So, this kid will be more remembered as a law -breaker than a hero.

The moral of the story is that one should not attempt unauthorized activity , no matter how noble the cause unless one is prepared for self-destruction instead of reward or recognition.

I had an idea that this subject would be contraversial and sure enough the pundits of CNN, FOX and other news shows polled a lot of their mavens and the public, for opinions. Of course the opinons varied in the area of punishment or reward, but I believe this may be a case of first impression. It will be interesting to see how they handle this. Yes, the FBI did a good job in tracking, but perhaps the efforts would be employed in tracking bad ass bad guys.

I'm glad they're charging this idiot. Would they still have a case if all of the items he used were simulated like the modeling clay (maybe box cutters w/out blades- or simply a hunk of metal- matches w/heads already burned off, etc?)

Since the original post on this subject, security has been enhanced at the airports, and while you could hardly say that your examples were dangerous weapons, per se, the nation trembles and the vibrations and aftershock ripple toward the enforcers.

Even if not charged, you know that the subjects would be investigated and subject to questioning.

The definition of terrorism, as applied to persons could have a very broad interpretation when applied to the USA Patriot Act and other ancillary regulations and laws.

The bad guys are quite slick when it comes to their horror shows which lately even encompasses flammable clothing with exploding accessories activated in aircraft toilets.

News commentators and critics are coming down hard on the slow development in the Homeland Defense Agency, and its turtle-like speed, much of which has to do with the reluctance to share information of the agencies charged with
the requirements of reporting.

Let us hope that red tape is replaced with team effort, and the allocated funds are properly distributed. I see the glass half full, now I want to see it full!

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